[voice | private to Breakdown | also backdated]

[10_20_15_5_50]

Hey, Breakdown.

[Sam's tone is one he's heard before---the once before, when Knock Out arrived and no-one yet knew whether he was real or another imposter; serious and slightly apologetic.]

I'm sorry to be sort of springing this on you, but I have something important to ask.

Comments

[10_20_15_5_50]

Nah, never. It's a very [she makes a chopping motion with one hand; direct,] business.

[automobileenthusiast]

[And then Knock Out inspected his fingers hmm they are so shiny. in other words keep doin what you're doin KO will comment when THE TIME IS RIGHT. and by comment i mean probably freak out]

[a_little_red_in_the_face]

[Breakdown nods.] Then here's fine. Hit me.

[10_20_15_5_50]

Okay.

[There's little to it---she looks at Breakdown, and then there's a faint, brittle chatter as a patch of paint on his chest abruptly bubbles into blisters. They appear so suddenly most break open and show the now-bare metal beneath, creating a mass of tiny craters covering an area the size of the big bot's palm.]

[automobileenthusiast]

[Actually okay what Knock out is starting to look really unsure about this uhhh]

Er...

[No really what is this meatball doing]

[a_little_red_in_the_face]

[He lets out a soft hiss. It does sting, much more than he figured it would. After that he pauses and softly brushes his fingers over the spot of blistered paint.]

Huh...That was...different. It has a sting to it, but that's gone the moment it'd one, and it's not much.

Sorry, Sam.

[And then he notices the look on his partner's face...and smirks, amused.]

[10_20_15_5_50]

[This meatball is doing magic, sir! Or, was. Now she's gazing up at Breakdown, looking mildly affronted.]

Son of a bitch.

[It comes out almost conversationally, before Sam flaps a hand at Breakdown's 'sorry'.]

You've got nothing to say sorry for. If it wasn't for you, I would be without some pretty vital information. Now I know: I'm going to have to get creative when I can't call for help.

[automobileenthusiast]

Don't you give me that look!

[Don't mind Knock Out getting all prissy guys sorry sorry]

That's the last time you volunteer for any weird magic experiments! Do you have any idea how long it's going to take to fix that paint!?

[a_little_red_in_the_face]

[He snickers at that.]

Hey, it doesn't bother me. This is why I volunteered and you didn't.

[10_20_15_5_50]

[Oh, Sam doesn't mind. If anything, she's sort of amused (the disappointment? lost its edge) and trying to stay straight-faced.]

Since that's supposedly the last time you'll be volunteering, big guy, can I recruit you right now for the future's weird magic experiments?

[The question isn't quite serious, as shown by the little wiseass grin Sam tends to sport while bugging Breakdown (and now Knock Out). She tried to stay straight-faced, she failed.]

[automobileenthusiast]

[Knock Out rolls his eyes in the most dramatic way possible before he moves in to inspect Breakdown's poor paint 8(]

You're both grounded.

[a_little_red_in_the_face]

[He just chuckles and lets Knock Out check out his chest.]

[10_20_15_5_50]

So much for my hope of aging out...

[if it doesn't happen at six million, it doesn't happen]

[oh well]

[automobileenthusiast]

[KO just gives her a weird look ALL OF THIS IS WEIRD YOU'RE WEIRD ]

Well, either way remind me to stay on your good side. I'd like to keep my paint looking pristine .

[a_little_red_in_the_face]

[He just chuckles a bit more, because, really, this was just funny to him.]

Don’t worry, Knock Out, I’m sure you don’t have to worry about Sam doing anything to your finish.

[10_20_15_5_50]

[YOU BET. Flyin' the freak flag high, and in fine form.]

I'm going to go ahead and consider myself ungrounded, then. Not that it makes a great deal of difference, since I've got this suspicion I won't make it to Lake Long this summer.

[...or ever again.]

He's right. Since I kind of just recruited you as an emergency contact, that would be both dumb and a dick move. As it is...

...well, I won't promise that I won't ever do anything at all to your finish, but you don't have to worry about me doing anything detrimental to it.

[automobileenthusiast]

[Knock Out kind of narrows his optics at Sam. IS HE ANNOYED ABOUT THAT COMMENT ON HIS FINISH?]

Dick move?

[No he's just confused by human lingo he's not familiar with. I mean he'd seen a few human movies and NATURALLY he knew what a dick was but what do dangle dongs have to do with moves 8(?]

[a_little_red_in_the_face]

Wait...what was that about Knock Out’s finish? [He’s curious...and taking a chance to maybe tease his partner a little.]

[10_20_15_5_50]

Something unnecessary, obnoxious, unnecessarily obnoxious, and inflicting some inconvenience on someone without cause. Not my style.

[She turn back to Breakdown, not even trying to keep a curly little smile from her face.]

I won't do anything detrimental to it, but that's not to say I won't ever do anything, because I mmmmay be able to give it some extra endurance. Like, unnatural endurance.

[automobileenthusiast]

[Dick move HUH learn something new every day. Also Breakdown gets A LOOK don't be a butt.

Iiiits the next part that really catches his interest, though.]

Extra endurance, you say?

[a_little_red_in_the_face]

[He gives Knock Out a cheeky grin. Why not be a butt?]

Yeah? Now that sounds like Knock Out's kind of thing.

[10_20_15_5_50]

Maybe. Probably? I am actually pretty sure.

['Pretty sure' in this case is quite, because while the boundaries of adept magic sometimes appear ill- or arbitrarily defined to others, they are nothing if not intuitive.]

It just isn't something I've tried for before, is all.

[automobileenthusiast]

Riiiight. We won't be testing that one on my finish, just throwing that out there.

[a_little_red_in_the_face]

[He laughs]

You can test it on me, I guess.

[10_20_15_5_50]

[Knock Out gets a small shrug.]

The worst that would happen would be 'nothing,' if that puts you at ease at all.

[But she has a volunteer! Bless Breakdown and his willingness to humour her.]

I'm thinking later rather than sooner, but someday? I would like to. Thank you for being such a good sport.